Greek Cypriots Find TRNC Policies More Successful

According to the poll, Greek Cypriots feel the expansion policies of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas more successful than those of the Greek Cypriot administration with the TRNC’s opening of the border between the Turkish-held north and the Greek-held south. A total of 55 percent of Greeks Cypriots consider Denktas to be ahead of the Greek administration in the expansions race, while 26 percent feel the Greek Cypriot administration has done better. Nineteen percent had no opinion on the matter.

The question "Who succeeded in making an impression after the decision to allow free passage?" was asked to 700 people in Southern Cyprus via telephone from May 12 to May 16. The poll also inquired about Greek public opinion pertaining to whether a solution to the Cyprus problem was "farther" or "nearer" off in the future Forty-four percent of the Greek Cypriots said "nearer" while 33 percent answered "farther"; 23 percent offered no opinion.

Meanwhile the Greek newspapers gave extensive coverage to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s statement that Turkey would open its doors to Greek Cypriot citizens. Greek Alitia daily, under the headline, "Greeks to be greeted with pleasure in Turkey," said "Turkey [had] made a cold-shower impact on the Greek side as a result of its contradictory explanations and activities."

Cihan News Agency, aa / Ankara, Lefkosa (Nicosia) / TURKEY